Gas Grill Maintenance

Particularly when the weather is mild (and even sometimes when it’s not…), many of us are firing up our Weber gas grills almost every day of the week. And with all that action going on, it can be easy to forget some of the most important parts of grilling: cleaning and maintenance.

I know it sounds crazy, but I consider all my Weber grills to be part of the family. Needless to say, taking great care of them is high on my list of cooking priorities. You see, over time the performance of your grill can diminish if has not been maintained properly. Low temperatures, uneven heat, and food sticking to grates are all possible side effects of poor grill cleaning and conditioning. Luckily, a simple monthly maintenance plan is an easy and inexpensive way to keep your beloved Weber gas grills in tip-top shape.

Wipe the outside of the grill lid with a paper towel and cleaner (glass cleaner for porcelain-coated lids and stainless steel cleaner for stainless steel lids). If your grill is stainless steel, you’ll get the best results by buffing with the grain, not against, using a microfiber towel.

Clean side tables with a microfiber towel and stainless steel cleaner. Again, make sure to buff with the grain. If your tables are made of theromset plastic, use a mild dish detergent and warm water instead.

Cleaning a cook box may seem tricky, but it’s actually extremely simple and can have a big impact on the way your grill performs. When your grill is completely cool, carefully remove your cooking grates and Flavorizer bars. Then, using a stainless steel grill brush, brush all excess grease and debris from inside the cook box into the bottom tray. From here, it will be easy to discard.

It’s a good practice to burn off any food residue left on your grill by turning all your burners to high for 15 minutes before grilling. When your grill reaches these high temperatures, food debris will turn to ash, and will then be easy to brush off using a stainless steel bristle brush.

And that’s it. Pretty simple, really. Just follow these five steps and your grill will be cooking strong for many years to come.

What are your thoughts?
(138)

Bruce K

So, you suggest leaving the grill as is when done grilling and then wait to clean it after fully heating it up just prior to the next grilling. Does leaving those unburned foot particles and sauces on the grates between grillings cause any corrosion problems on the grates? I always thought it was best to leave the grill running on hi for ten minutes or so after cooking to burn off the meat and sauces and then go out and clean it.
I certainly like the idea of being able to just shut down the grill and not worry about it until the next time so that I can concentrate on eating the food I just grilled.

12.06.16

Kevin Kolman

Bruce,
We used to recommend cleaning the grill at the end of your grilling session but now we recommend cleaning the grates at the beginning. Either method works but over time, letting it run an additional 10 minutes at the end is a waste of gas. To your comment if you do have excess things on the grates you can always turn the grill off and use a spatula to scrap it off. There will not be a corrosion problem if you leave the food not the grates until next time. Another advantage to shutting the grill off is you won’t forget to turn it off like I used to all the time and then the next time I go to grill I have no gas left in the tank. Hope this helps and if you have any other questions please let us know here or on Facebook and twitter at Kevin Kolman’s Backyard and always Grill On!!

10.20.16

Max Z

Hello! I forget the type of Weber grill my girlfriend has, but I tend to be the one who uses it more. I noticed that recently when I fire it up the first burner catches but the connection from first to second burner lights up and catches fire when I try to fire the second burner. This seems dangerous as it is not supposed to be on fire, does this mean it's time to clean? Does that make sense? The first burner is on the left, then when I fire up the middle (2nd) burner, there is now a flaming "H" instead of "II"

Thank you kindly and I look forward to your response,

Max

10.20.16

Kevin Kolman

Max,
Yes I think it is time to inspect and clean those tubs. It sounds like maybe the tubes cracked which can happen over time. Take a look inside and if they aren’t cracked then use a clean stainless steel brush to clean the ports of the tubes. Check out this video about how to clean your burner tubes and if the problem persists please call our Customer Service department at 1-800-446-1071. Thanks! http://www.weber.com/weber-nation/blog/properly-cleaning-your-burner-tubes

09.15.16

jj d

We just bought a Genesis, and have a few cleaning questions...
Why would the burners have to be cleaned? Don't the bars cover them? (from drips, anyway).
The bars have some sticky drips on them that won't come off. And some carbonized drips. I'm having a hard time cleaning them well. (I've never owned a grill that I thought needed cleaning, beyond the grid). Is there a cleaner that would get the crud off the bars?
I did buy a 24x13" tub to soak the parts in, on the deck. I'm not sure it helps, at all. And when done, you have a tub of dirty, soapy water to dispose of. But I don't want to scratch the sink, in the house. My wife suggests I put a sink on the deck. But this grill is turning into part time job! My Egg was never this much work! But the good news is that we are enjoying the grill - and using it.
So really - how much do you guys clean the grill? I think my wife was expecting the inside to stay clean, like it was never used.

09.14.16

Kevin Kolman

JJ,

My rule of thumb is turn the grill on high for 10-15 minutes and burn everything off of it. Any excess debris I would then use a stainless steel brush and brush off. Although I appreciate all the hard work I myself only do a deep clean 4-5 times a year. The burners overtime can show some scaling and debris from the gas, which can settle on the tubes and eventually needs to be cleaned off with a clean stainless steel brush. I keep mine clean but maybe not JJ clean. Hope this helps and if you need anything else please let me know here or on Facebook and Twitter at Kevin Kolman’s Backyard and always Happy Grilling!!

08.30.16

Randy F

Kevin,

I'm having a similar issue as Bill K posted 7/3/16. I have a S310. When I first purchased the grill 4/15 my preheat temp would max out at 525 after 15 minutes. My medium temp of all three burners was 325-350 religiously. About 5 months ago during a 15 minute preheat the temperature gauge was max'd out (over) 700. Handle was hot that I had to use a oven mit to lift. My medium temp for all three burners is now 600. I have been working with the weber help line (Great to work with) for the last two months and have replaced every part that they have sent but we have yet to find the cause of my grill burning so hot. I'm hoping someone on this post has had similar issue and found a fix.

08.30.16

Kevin Kolman

Randy,
This sounds like a new television show, CIS BBQ!! I would say if you have replaced everything the plot thickens. I would be interested myself on what exactly is going on. Not sure why the grill is responding the way it is. Could it be the regulator, maybe the tank? Could it be the weather, fall, winter and spring temps are lower then the summer. That could be part of it. It is hard to say. I will keep my thinking hat on and please keep us posted. If you have any issues during the cook please let us know here or on Facebook and Twitter at Kevin Kolman’s backyard and always Happy grilling.

08.28.16

T S

Hello. Novice griller here. We just acquired a Genesis special edition gas grill with the purchase of our new home. Looks like it was used frequently but not cleaned regularly. I read online that it's a good idea to have a gas grill professionally cleaned and inspected annually (like you would for your furnace and AC). Is that true? Who would I call for that? Or can all cleaning and maintanance be done by ourselves? Thanks!

08.28.16

Kevin Kolman

TS,
Congrats on the Genesis special edition. Grilling on a Weber is a life changing event. It is a good idea to clean your grill regularly and if you are not into cleaning then having a professional service inspect and clean it. We have some good videos online that you can watch which will give you a very good idea of how to clean and maintain your grill. If you need any help locating a servicing agent please call our Customer Service at 800-446-1071. Keep the questions coming here or on my page on Facebook and Twitter at Kevin Kolman’s backyard and always Happy Grilling!!

08.27.16

Thomas L

I have a Summit grill. I have noticed hot spots on the grill, particularly at the front of the grill. Are there any recommendations to try and correct this other than cleaning the burners?

08.27.16

Kevin Kolman

Thomas,
The best way to tackle this problem is to clean the flavorizer bars. Get all the debris off of those and then clean the burner tubes. You could have some scaling occurring on the tubes that can cause performance issues and this will help correct those. Also clean the lid and bottom tray. A clean grill will push heat around the grill and help with performance. Keep the questions coming here or on Facebook and Twitter at Kevin Kolman’s Backyard and always Happy Grilling!!

08.18.16

James S

I have a E330 and clean my grill a little less than I should, but wondered if there was anything to do for the burners?

08.17.16

Kevin Kolman

James,
I would clean the burners every 6 months. Use a clean stainless steel brush and to remove any debris or scaling on the tubes. Don’t worry you aren’t even close to the only person probably in your neighborhood who does not clean there grill as much as they should. I would probably be on that list too! Keep the questions coming here or on Facebook and Twitter at Kevin Kolman’s backyard and Happy Grilling and Cleaning!!

08.16.16

Donald D

While I understand the need to keep my Spirit 310 covered when not in use, what are the drawbacks when the grill is not cooled sufficiently to cover and there is a heavy rain storm?

08.16.16

Kevin Kolman

Donald,
Not having it covered isn’t a big deal in a heavy rain storm. You will just have to make sure you clean the outside when you are ready to grill the next time. The cover will help the grill last longer and also keep it looking like new which is what I really like. Keep the questions coming and if you need anything else you can find us here or on Facebook and Twitter at Kevin Kolman’s Backyard and always Happy Grilling!!

08.05.16

Jeffrey B

I have a Genesis E330. Love the grill (my 2nd Weber). My question is on the front lower part of the cook box, the grey part behind the knobs I got a stain on it and can not remove it. I have tried soap and water, weber grill cleaner and even SOS. It just will not come off. Any ideas?

08.04.16

Kevin Kolman

Jeffrey,
Good question. How long did you spray on the cleaner? I usually leave it on 5-10 minutes and this helps. Also I have used magic erasers on areas which can help. Keep me posted on if these don’t work and also if you need anything else you can find us here or on Facebook and Twitter at Kevin Kolman’s backyard and always Happy Grilling!!

08.04.16

Stephanie C

I have a Spirit E310. The top "slide-out grease tray" doesn't slide out. Is there a video showing how it can be removed? Thanks!

08.04.16

Kevin Kolman

Stephanie
It could be being blocked by the door. This has happened to me. Try making sure when you open the door that the try is not hitting the door when opened. What I find that works well is to bend down when you open the door. Then you can see when you try to remove it if it is hitting the door. Hope this helps and if you need anything else you can find us here or on Facebook and Twitter at Kevin Kolman Kolman's backyard and always happy grilling.